Former refs chief Keith Hackett has expressed his disbelief at Keith Stroud’s botched St James’ Park call – and said that Rafa Benitez appeared to know the penalty laws better than the referee.

Hackett was the head of the Professional Games Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) before Mike Riley, who currently holds the role and has been an outspoken critic of both refereeing standards in the Championship and Premier League. And he feels that Stroud’s mistake has made the profession a “laughing stock”.

The Hampshire whistler has been removed from matches this weekend after making the wrong call on Wednesday night, awarding a free-kick to Burton when he should have ordered a re-take.

Hackett’s most eye-opening point is that Benitez – who he says is knowledgeable on the laws – appeared to know what was going on better than Stroud.

“Keith Stroud is one of the most experienced referees in the league who has officiated as a select group referee in his career,” he wrote in his column in the Telegraph.

“It’s been compounded by having an experienced fourth official plus his two assistants on the line who have the ability to question why he’s awarded an indirect free-kick, but I’m amazed they didn’t intervene.

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“This is another classic case of a referee not being assisted - they changed the title from linesman to assistant referees with the intention of them assisting but they haven’t done it.

“Rafael Benitez is a very experienced manager who is a sound individual and (has) an excellent knowledge of the laws. He’s picked it up very quickly and alerted the officials to what happened on Wednesday night but nobody listened.

“The PGMOL cannot just laugh it off with a statement, which was released at the speed of light shortly after the final whistle.”

Hackett reckons Stroud should serve a 35-day suspension. “I’ve always thought that referees should be made to pass an annual test and this has just enforced it,” he wrote.